NHL to have three outdoor games next season
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The NHL will have three outdoor games next season, including a return of the Winter Classic to Boston, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced.
This Jan. 1, 2016, game would be played between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The 2010 game was played in Fenway Park.
The intense rivals have met in the playoffs 34 times, including a hard-fought, seven-game series last year won by Montreal.
The Canadiens, who have played in two Heritage Classics, will be the second Canadian team to play in a Winter Classic. The Toronto Maple Leafs played in the 2014 game in Michigan Stadium.
The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild, who have long petitioned for an outdoor game, will host Stadium Series games next season.
The Wild will host the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 21, 2016, at TFC Bank Field at the University of Minnesota.
The Avalanche will host the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 27, 2016, at Coors Field.
An attempt to have a Heritage Classic in Winnipeg fell through because the Jets, Canadian Hockey League Blue Bombers and the league couldn't work out a date.
Also Saturday:
-Bettman said there was nothing new to report about expansion. A Las Vegas group will start a season-ticket drive next month to test the market. Bettman also said he met recently with Seattle's mayor and a new arena in that city remains uncertain.
-He also said that the decline in the Canadian dollar wouldn't cause a major drop in the salary cap. Originally projected at $73 million, he said it would be $71.7 million if Canadian dollar dropped to 80 cents on the U.S. dollar.
The Blackhawks will be making their fourth outdoor appearance, following two Winter Classics and one Stadium Series.
"Some teams are more comfortable playing these games competitively than others," Bettman said. "Everything we hear from (Blackhawks owner) Rocky Wirtz and (team president) John McDonough is they love to be part of it, and we're happy to have them."
Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane said taking part in an outdoor game doesn't get old.
"We kind of view ourselves and pride ourselves on being one of the faces of the league, as far as team-wise," he said. "For us to be in another prime-time event, it'll probably be a little colder in Minnesota, but it's something we'll enjoy, for sure."
Bruins center Patrice Bergeron is happy to participate in his second Winter Classic.
"I think it's definitely something great for the city, but also for us as players," he said. "I had a chance to be part of the Winter Classic in 2010. It was a great experience. To have it again against our big rivals with the history behind the two teams is definitely going to be something that I'll be looking forward to."